


Blood stained petals

by FangirlftShipper



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Rewrite, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, One Shot, Short, Tragedy, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 07:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15091889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangirlftShipper/pseuds/FangirlftShipper
Summary: Oswald Cobblepot is sure he is incapable of loving.That, until the flowers start growing inside of him.





	Blood stained petals

**Author's Note:**

> Hanahaki disease is a fictional disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. It ends when the beloved returns their feelings (romantic love only; strong friendship is not enough), or when the victim dies. It can be cured through surgical removal, but when the infection is removed, the victim's romantic feelings for their love also disappear.
> 
> Follows canon timelines/events but is still an AU.

Oswald Cobblepot was sure he was incapable of loving.

He gripped his cane tightly, staring at the statue of his late mother, the only person he had ever loved.

He remembered growing up lonely, without friends or family to care for besides his mother. And now that she was dead, the only feeling left in Oswald was rage and grief, tormented and violent thoughts.

He had learned to make peace with being lonely.

That, until the flowers started growing inside of him.

* * *

“Give up Nygma, and save your own ass. Live to love another day.” Barbra smiles, already tasting success.

Oswald doesn’t even consider it. Even after everything that Edward has done to him, the thought of him hurt or killed is unbearable. The shock hits him almost instantly.

“Wow.” He says, trembling slightly. “You’re right, I should want him dead.”

“Should?” Barbra frowns, confused and already angry. “Oswald. You loved him, and he betrayed you.”

“Actually I don’t know that I did… Love him.” No, he knows he didn’t. He remembers how awful it was to be incapable to love. “Not really.”

“What?”

“Ed was right, I thought I loved him because he saw me as no one had since my mother. But I killed Isabelle, because I wouldn’t share him.” He was wrong, he was so wrong and he knows this now because he can feel it growing inside of him. “Ed said love is sacrifice. I should’ve been able to sacrifice my happiness for his. I couldn’t.” He smiles, vision blurring because of his tears. “But I’m ready now.”

He coughs and it’s painful, he can’t help but laugh when he feels flowers falling out of his mouth.

“So you’d rather die than give up the man who tried to kill you?” Barbra screams but he can’t even be scared.

“I would!” There are flowers in his lap and on the floor, he can see Butch eyeing them uncomfortably. “Isn’t that crazy?”

“Yes.” Ed answers, and his heart sinks.

He’s in shock, but seeing Edward safe and sound causes him to feel calm.

Edward explains his purposes.

“I wanted to take what you believed.” He says, Oswald has never seen him so angry. More flowers come out of his mouth.

“I wanted you to die knowing that you were incapable of loving another person.”

Ed is standing on top of flower petals, and Oswald can’t help but smile.

“But I can! I just proved that. Right?”

He’s tied up, in a room full of people who want him dead, and he is still unbelievably happy.

He can love.

He is in love.

The feeling of happiness doesn’t last for long.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! this has been on my drafts for a while and i wasn't planning on doing anything with it but i decided to leave it as it is since i think it's more powerful that way.
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated!


End file.
